One out from taking a one-run victory Tuesday night, the A's instead absorbed a one-run loss and now own their first losing streak of the season.

The Rangers got to Luke Gregerson for two runs with two down in the ninth, and Texas grabbed its second straight one-run win at the Coliseum, this one 5-4. The A's had been the only team in the majors not to lose consecutive games.

There was plenty of drama in the ninth. Pinch-hitter Mitch Moreland greeted Gregerson with a double to right-center. Moreland advanced to third on Robinson Chirinos' sacrifice.

Leonys Martin then dropped down another bunt, but Gregerson foiled the safety squeeze by fielding the ball and flipping it to catcher Derek Norris, who tagged out Moreland.

Martin proceeded to steal second. Gregerson then hung a slider to Josh Wilson, whose double over the head of Yoenis Céspedes in left brought home Martin with the tying run.

Moments later, the Rangers were on top to stay. Former Oakland outfielder Michael Choice bounced one into center field. Wilson rolled home, and the A's were down 5-4.

Losses such as this one reinforce the notion that amnesia is an asset for baseball players, particularly for closers. That is, they can't let stinging defeats linger.

So, how long would it take for Gregerson to stop thinking about the loss?

"As soon as I'm done talking to you guys," he told reporters.

Forgetting about a tough loss is "not that easy," Gregerson said, "but it's something that we have to do and it's something that if you don't do, it's going to carry over to the next day - and that's not something you want."

Said manager Bob Melvin: "This team has been real resilient over the years after tough losses. You process it and try to figure out what you could have done differently or what you need to do a little differently, and then you move on ... before you go to bed."

When a closer takes a loss, he becomes the focus. Melvin stressed that the A's could have done more in the first eight innings.

"You can look at what happened in the ninth inning and then you can look a little farther into the game," Melvin said. "It's usually not what happens, to an extent, the last inning or the last at-bat. A lot of times, it's what transpired during the middle innings of the game."

After each team scored twice in the first, the A's were in prime position to take the lead in the second. They loaded the bases with one out. Nick Martinez, making his second big-league start, went 3-0 on Jed Lowrie.

The count eventually went full. Lowrie then lifted a flyball to fairly short center field. Martin made the grab and his throw to the plate was in time to cut down John Jaso. Chirinos, the Rangers' catcher, did a nice job of applying the tag.

The A's also squandered a first-and-second, no-out opportunity in the sixth against reliever Aaron Poreda.

Briefly: Former A's left-hander Pedro Figueroa threw one pitch in the eighth inning. It hit Josh Reddick. Figueroa then left the game with an elbow injury. ... A's left-hander Eric O'Flaherty, on the 60-day disabled list as he rehabs from Tommy John surgery, impressed Melvin with his bullpen session Tuesday. "I asked him if he's got an inning in him today," Melvin cracked. O'Flaherty is eligible to come off the DL on May 29. The A's would love to activate him anytime between then and the All-Star break. ... Poreda is another left-hander who has returned from Tommy John surgery. An alum of Campolindo High in Moraga and USF, Poreda is back in the majors for the first time since 2009. For more on his story, go to the Sports Events blog at SFGate.com: http://bit.ly/Ps10eF